Which Grille Do You Think Looks Better on My Truck?

LARIAT 85 wrote

.....Would it look odd to see the F  O  R  D letters stretched across the center of the hood (1980/1981 style), combined with the FORD letters closer together and on the right of the tailgate trim panel (1985/1986 style)?

Im a factory guy when it comes to emblems on these trucks. I am not a huge fan of debaging, and not a huge fan of moving emblems around. IMHO, the hood should stay bare, or with the FORD in factory location. Remember, the definition of beauty is symmetry.

Let me take this opportunity to say what a blessing it is that we have a forum such as this one, where we can discuss and debate and consider our vehicular customization choices.  Not everyone who gets their hands on lettering has this opportunity, and as a result mistakes are often made:

Here is another idea.  Without the hood letters, this FORD nameplate might look pretty good on a 1980 grille:

Take a look at the 1983-1987 Ford Ranger grille. They carried the Ford oval off to one side and I never cared for the look. May give you an idea of how it will look.

salans7 wrote

Take a look at the 1983-1987 Ford Ranger grille. They carried the Ford oval off to one side and I never cared for the look. May give you an idea of how it will look.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Ford-Ranger-Grill/173885971515?hash=item287c695c3b:g:3V4AAOSwUWtcTTgX

My first vehicle was a 1988 Ford Bronco II, and it had the grille with the smaller Ford oval to the side.  I liked it and it preferred it over the later redesigned 1989/1990 grille with the Ford oval right in the middle.  You could see more of the grille rather than a huge Ford emblem getting all of the attention.

It seemed that Ford was really into a simple FORD or MERCURY nameplate mounted off to the right side of the grille in the late 1970s and early 1980s - before the Ford oval became the new standard in 1982.  I am starting to think the large Ford oval looks rather silly.

Beauty is subjective.

Rick,

Off topic question for ya since I know you know the trim and options on the Bullnoses very well...and you have an '85 with the small mirrors...

Have you ever seen an '85-up Bullnose with the black "paddle lock" mirrors as discussed over in this thread linked below:

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Black-outside-mirror-E3TZ-17682-D-NOS-td31805.html#a31922

No, not in person.  The 1985 Ford F-Series brochure shows a picture of them on the standard pickup.  Note the E3 part number.  I think those mirrors were originally intended for the compact Ranger that debuted in 1983.  

My 1988 Ford Bronco II XLT had those black "paddle" style mirrors.  They were small and compact, but they were very easy to knock out of adjustment.  And you could fold these mirrors completely up to the body.  That protected them if you went into an automatic carwash.  The small chrome mirrors can't do that as well, and as a result are easily broken.

I don't *think* the [optional] small chrome mirrors were used after 1986.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Ford-Right-Manual-Door-Mirror-F150-F250-F350-Bronco-Ranger-E3TZ-17682-D-/401679371569

https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Manual-Mirror-Bronco-E3TZ-17682-D/dp/B01ES8TO24

Those are the same type mirrors that I have on Lucille, except those are black.  I have never seen black ones before.  Perhaps they were intended for the XLS trim line?  

The 1983 Ranger/Bronco II and standard pickup F-Series trucks used black *plastic* mirrors, and they folded in like a flag:

https://www.amazon.com/Driver-Textured-Mirror-1983-1992-1984-1990/dp/B07FF8JLMV/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=Ford+Ranger+side+mirrors&qid=1562945937&s=gateway&sr=8-15

1986F150Six wrote

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Ford-Right-Manual-Door-Mirror-F150-F250-F350-Bronco-Ranger-E3TZ-17682-D-/401679371569

https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Manual-Mirror-Bronco-E3TZ-17682-D/dp/B01ES8TO24

Now those mirrors are definitely black...

LARIAT 85 wrote

No, not in person.  The 1985 Ford F-Series brochure shows a picture of them on the standard pickup.  Note the E3 part number.  I think those mirrors were originally intended for the compact Ranger that debuted in 1983.  

Except for the one Flareside I saved pics of on Ebay, I have never seen the paddle mirrors on another Bullnose.

I changed the parking lenses from amber to white (or colorless), and I think it made a noticeable difference in the looks.  I think the clear lenses look much better with the 1980/1981 grille:








Should I make another post with a poll, "Amber or White Parking Lens?"

The clear look better with any year grill IMHO

I agree, the clear park lenses do look better with the 80-81 grille, it's part of why I prefer 1980 trucks over 1981.

Here is one more I took today, parked next to a truck with a later grille.  It is amazing how much different these trucks look with a different grille, different color parking lamp lenses, and bumper guards and rub strips look from each other:  

I think the way i have mine looks the best. Straight chrome bumper with no guards, late grill, clear indicators.

I much prefer the rub strips and bumper guards over the plain chrome bumper on the Bullnoses.

And I think the white parking lenses go better with your blue truck.

But I am beginning to think the amber parking lenses go better with my red/brown truck.

However, I don't think the amber parking lenses look as good with the earlier grille.  So, I might go back to amber parking lenses and the stock grille with the Ford oval.

I have decided that I personally think the colorless/white parking light lenses look better with the 1980/1981 grille, while the amber parking light lenses look better with the 1982 - 1986 grille.

So if I decide to keep the 1980/1981 grille on my truck, I will go with the colorless/white parking light lenses.


But what about the headlight doors?

Ford used chrome and Argent headlight doors with the 1980/1981 chrome grille, and used chrome and Dark Charcoal headlight doors with the 1982 - 1986 grille.

Do you think the Argent color looks better with the earlier grille (and colorless/White parking light lenses), or Dark Charcoal?


Or better yet, do you think the Argent color would go better with my Dark Canyon Red paint, or Dark Charcoal?